Back-band and trace-carrier.



No. 738,895. PATENTED SEPT. 15, 1 903 I. H. ESTES.

BAGK BAND AND TRACE CARRIER.

' APPLIUATION PI LED JULY 21. 1903.

K0 MODEL.

9 m iim UNITED STATES I Patented September15, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

BACK-BAND AND TRACE-CARRIER.

- SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 738,895, datedSeptember 15, 1903.

. Application filed'July 21, 1903. Serial No. 166,428. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be itknown that I, JAMES H. EsTEs,a citizen of the United States,residing at Fairbnrn, in the county of Campbell and State of Georgia,have invented new and useful Improvements in Back-Bands-andTrace-Carriers, of which the following is a Specification.

My present invention relates to an improved combined back-band andtrace-carrier; and the purpose of theinvention is to provide a device ofthis character that will be-simple and durable in construction,inexpensive to manufacture, easy of application, and efiective inoperation.

The prime object of the invention is to provide a back-band andtrace-carrier that can be easily and quickly adjusted to aocommo-- datehorses of different sizes and which when in use will not be liable toinjure the back or the sides of the horse.

A further object of the invention is to provide novel andreadily-adjustable means for supporting the trace-hooks.

The invention has in view other objects, due to the peculiarconstruction and arrangement of parts, which will be apparent upon areading of the following specification.

Briefly and generally stated, the invention comprises a pad ofyieldingmaterial adapted to fit over the back of a horse or mule and aback-band supported upon the pad, compris-- make, and use my saidinvention, I will now,

proceed to describe the same in detail, reference being made for thispurpose to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is aperspective view of a complete back-band and trace-carrier constructedaccording to my present invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of thetrace-hook supportingbands shown detached from the pad. 'Fig. 3 is asimilar view showing'the two supporting-bands detached and separated onefrom the other, and Fig. 4 is a side view of one end of thetrace-supporting band.

Similar reference-numerals indicate correspondin g parts throughout theseveral views.

The numeral 1 designates a pad which may be conveniently made of felt,duck, leather, or other suitable flexible material, or it may be made ofa canvas sack stuffed or filled with hair or cotton. The padis'preferably made longer and wider than the metallic parts, presentlyto be described, in order to prevent such metallic parts from cominginto contact with the back or the sides of the horse, thus overcomingany danger of rubbing or injuring the animal,which is an objection opento most of the devices now on the market and of which Iam cognizant.

The meansIem ploy for supporting the tracecarrying hooks 2 comprises a.pair of flexible metallic bands 3, arranged. parallel to each other,said bands being held in parallelism and attached tothe pad 1 by meansof metal straps 4:, the latter being provided with openings 5, by whichthey may be sewed or otherwise secured to the pad, as shown. Each bandhas one end portion bent over and riveted, as shown, to provide an eye6, to which the trace-hook 2 is attached, and projecting upward from theface of each band near its other end is a headed stud 7. A plate 8,having out therein a plurality of keyhole-slots 9, which cooperate withthe headed studs 7, is

adjustably mounted in a slidable manner upon the end of each band 3, thestuds serving to rigidly lock the two members, but permitting adjustmentrelatively to one another,

' whereby the trace-carrying hooks 2 may be raised or lowered, asdesired, to suit horses of difierent heights. One end of each plate 8 isprovided with an elongated loop member 10, which embraces its band 3 andservesas a guide and support therefor to hold the parts in alinement,and theo-pposite end of each plate is bent over and riveted, as shown,to provide an eye 12, similar to the eyes 6.- The trace-carrying hooks 2are supported by the eyes 6 and 12 in a pivotal manner to permit of afree up-and-dowm movement of the traces. The two parallel bands 3 andthe plates 8 are held'separated at their ends by means of loose sleevesor washers 13, which are mounted upon the hooks 2. The saidtrace-carrying and two inwardly-bent arms 15, having upwardly andrearwardly turned parallel legs 16, forming a hook adapted to engage thetrace.

WVhile I have herein shown and described one form of trace-carryinghook, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to this form,for it will be obvious that hooks of other forms may be employed withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention, the one herein shown beingemployed simply by way of example.

By employing two bands 3, as herein shown and described, and adjustablyattaching the plates 8 thereto it will be seen that a rigid lock betweenthe parts is secured and one that cannot accidentally work loose throughwear, this being due to the fact that the pull or strain on the hooksalways tends to draw the interlocking parts into firm lockingengagement.

WVhat I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. A trace-carrier comprising two hooks and a pair of back-bands, eachband having a hook attached to one end thereof and also having anadjustable connection at its other 7 end with the other hook.

2. A trace-carrier comprising two hooks and a pair of back-bands, eachband carrying a hook at one end, a plate also attached to each book andoverlapping the other end of the bands, and an adjustable connectionbetween each plate and band.

3. A trace-carrier comprising two hooks, a back-band and a plateattached at one end to each hook, and an adjustable connection betweeneach plate and the other end of each back-band.

4. A trace-carrier comprising two hooks, a back-band and a plateattached atone end to each hook, each plate having a plurality ofkeyhole-slots and each band having a headed stud near its free end, saidslots and studs constituting adjustable connections between the bandsand plates, whereby the hooks may be adjusted toward and from eachother.

5. A trace-carrier comprising two hooks, a

back-band and a plate attached at one end to each hook, a guiding-loopcarried by each plate, each loop embracing one of the bands, and anadjustable connection between each plate and the free end of each band.

6. In a combined back-band and trace-carrier, the combination with apad, of two tracehooks, a pair of back-bands secured to said pad andeach having a hook attached to one end thereof, a plate also attached toeach hook, and an adjustable connection between each plate and the freeend of each band.

7. In a combined back-band and trace-carrier, the combination with apad, of two backbands mounted side by side upon said pad,

each band having astud near one end, a

trace-hook attached to the other end of each band, a plate attached toeach book and each plate provided with a plurality of keyholeslots whichcooperate with the said studs to provide an adjustable connectionbetween the said plates and bands at opposite ends of the pad, wherebythe hooks may be adjusted toward and from each other.

8. A trace-carrier comprising a pairof flexible metallic bands arrangedside by side, means for holding said bands in parallelism, a trace-hookattached to one end of each band, a plate attached to each book, and anadjustable connection between each plate and the other end of each band.

9. A trace-carrier comprising two hooks and a pair of back-bands, eachband being connected permanently to one of the hooks and adj ustably tothe other.

10. In a device of the character described, two supporting elements anda pair of backbands, each band having a permanent connection with one ofthe elements and an adjustable connection with the other element.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

JAMES H. ESTES.

Witnesses:

J. T. HEARN, R. P; MCLARIN.

